ABOUT

Mario Rigby was born in Turks and Caicos Islands and spent his childhood in a small village near Stuttgart, Germany, before moving to Toronto, Canada at age 16. He has always had a tremendous drive to push the limits in athletics, exploration, and almost anything he puts his mind to. It was never enough to be the norm. Rigby recently completed his Crossing Africa journey, a two-year trek walking and kayaking from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt – all while sharing his experiences on social media and inspiring people across the continent, and the globe, to get out, be brave, and see the world.

Prior to embarking on Crossing Africa, Rigby was one of Toronto's top fitness experts and group training specialists. Among Mario's other accomplishments, he is a former professional track and field athlete representing Turks and Caicos Islands. Mario has broken a provincial record in Ontario, Canada for the 400-meter sprint and successfully coached more than 40 athletes (five at the provincial level) in various sports, including cross country, track and field, football, and basketball.

Currently, Rigby is working on his book, conducting speaking engagements, and preparing for his next expeditions. To support Mario as he's preparing for his upcoming expeditions donate here.

Mario Rigby has been chosen as one of 200 nominees for the 2018 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) global 100 list to recognize the positive contributions made by people of African descent, worldwide, across 4 categories.​MIPAD is a unique global list that identifies, in total, 200 outstanding individuals under 40, with 100 inside Africa, 100 outside Africa in the Diaspora across 4 categories; Politics & Governance, Business & Entrepreneurship, Media & Culture, Humanitarian & Religious.